Where's ATC when you need him?

Its also terrible. I lost several games doing it

Tactically, it does less for you than simply holding Smyrna. It doesn't allow you to cover Ankara if you decide you need to.
The only use for it is in the diplomacy aspect. Like brainbomb said, that opening is supposed to set up a Juggernaut. Moving the fleet to Con is always anti-Lepanto, pro-Jugg. However, the move to Syria is even better for convincing Italy how useless a Lepanto would be. If he's facing an army in Syria and two fleets, there no way he could advance, making it more likely that he would pursue a different course of action.

All very good responses. Having thought about more, I agree: a move to Syria is pro-Russian. It discourages a Lepanto, and it offers a build in Smyrna. Good feedback, guys! I think from a diplomatic point of view, this move can be very stunning and unexpected. It will definitely have your opponents guessing at what you are going to do.

One problem with the move to Syria is that you still have the 50/50 against Italy in Constantinople/Syria if he lines up a convoy.

Italy would have to enter the Aegean Sea to have a shot at both Constantinople and Smyrna. But by the time Turkey executes these moves, Italy will still only have one fleet. And even if that fleets attempts to enter the Aegean Sea, Turkey will be able to build a fleet in Smyrna, which will allow him to kick Italy of the Aegean Sea next turn.

It's interesting, but essentially a form of a juggernaut opening. Which means that the player with Russia gains a huge advantage in his negotiating position with Turkey & in my experience simply invites an attack by Russia on Turkey whenever it suits the player with Russia

To me it is just plain silly.

If you want to fight Russia, you can swing up to Armenia whenever you want. In that sense it's better than a move to Con. Con is really only worth it if you want to protect Bul or attempt to take a second Balkan center.

And that Russian fleet in the Black Sea ? Will do nothing ?

Oh, I didn't actually read the OP. That opening is terrible.

If you are turkey and you don't open army to Bulgaria fleet to Black Sea army to Armenia, then you should just quit now.

If you're going with F Ank-Con A Con-Bul, then A Smy-Ank is far better than A Smy-Syr. That way you can bounce A Ank and A Bul in Con to prevent the Russian taking any of your supply centers. If you're moving Ank-Con you don't need A Syr to prevent a Lepanto, you can have 2 fleets in the South in S02.

Giving the Russian access to the Black Sea is dangerous in general but it can work in a committed Juggernaught, and getting that fleet out early gives you a nice advantage over A/I. However, you'll also be clearly signalling to the rest of the board that you're in a Juggernaught, which might trigger all of them to threaten to gang up on Russia unless he stabs you, so keep that in mind.

No time to explain, but I believe that if Smy goes to Syr, Ank should go to the Black Sea. Or, as Capt has it, if Ank is going to Con, then Smy should go to Arm or Ank.

And if you're jugging, why not give Turkey the Black Sea?

James: There is no 50/50. You give Smyrna to Italy in that case. Once you do, Italy has no reason to work with Austria, because Austria has nothing to offer Italy any more.

But the point of the Smyrna move is to be a harder target for Italy than someone else.

I'm hearing from a lot of comments that this opening is very pro-Russian. But perhaps that's where the deception of it lies. I mean, what stops Turkey from building a fleet in Ankara, supporting himself into the Black Sea, then moving from Syria to Armenia? And by negotiating with Russia to leave the Black Sea empty, you are, in a sense, giving him a false sense of security. Who knows? It might convince Russia that you're allies with him, when you're really not.

If you can convince all the other powers to do what you want, you can open however you like. Unfortunately, it's normally a bit harder than that.